AMSTERDAM – The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants on November 21 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as for Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif.

“The Chamber issued arrest warrants for two individuals, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr. Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed between at least October 8, 2023 and at least May 20, 2024, day the Prosecution filed the requests for arrest warrants. arrest,” the Hague-based ICC said in a statement.

An arrest warrant was also issued for Deif, the statement added.

The arrest warrants were classified “secret” to protect witnesses and ensure the conduct of the investigation, the court said.

“However, the Chamber has decided to disclose the information below because conduct similar to that discussed in the arrest warrant appears to be underway,” the court said.

“Furthermore, the Chamber considers that it is in the interest of the victims and their families to be informed of the existence of the arrest warrants.”

The move comes after ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced on May 20 that he was seeking arrest warrants for alleged crimes linked to the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas and the Israeli military response in Gaza.

The court said it was not necessary for Israel to accept the court’s jurisdiction.

Israel rejected the jurisdiction of the Hague Criminal Court and denies war crimes committed in Gaza.

Mr Netanyahu fired Mr Gallant as defense minister on November 5.

Mr. Khan also requested arrest warrants for senior Hamas leaders, including Deif, on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The prosecutor dropped the request regarding Haniyeh on August 2 “due to the change in circumstances caused by the death of Mr. Haniyeh” in Tehran on July 31, the ICC said earlier in a statement.

According to Israel, Deif was killed in a July 13 strike in southern Gaza, although Hamas denies his death.

Since Hamas carried out its October 7, 2023 attack, the deadliest in Israeli history, Israel has been waging a war in Gaza, which the militant group leads.

The war was sparked by the assault on Israel by Hamas militants, a stunning cross-border raid that resulted in the deaths of 1,206 Israelis, most of them civilians.

The Hamas government’s Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip said on November 21 that at least 44,056 people had been killed in more than 13 months of war between Israel and Hamas.

The toll includes 71 deaths over the previous 24 hours, according to the ministry. AFP, Reuters